Sayers, Kerry

Sayers, Kerry

Unique reference number (URN): EY279319 Address: 20 East Mimms, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, HP2 5XR Type: Childminder Registered with Ofsted: 04/03/2004 Registers: EYR, CCR, VCR Registered person: Sayers, Kerry Lisa

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Safeguarding standards met

The safeguarding standards are met. This means that leaders and/or those responsible for governance and oversight fulfil their specific responsibilities and have established an open culture in which safeguarding is everyone's responsibility and concerns are actively identified, acted upon and managed. As a result, children are made safer and feel safe.

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How we evaluate safeguarding

When we inspect settings for safeguarding, they can have the following outcomes:

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How we evaluate safeguarding

Met: The setting has an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not met: The setting has not created an open and positive culture of safeguarding. Not all legal requirements are met.

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Achievement Expected standard

All children, including those with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being, make secure progress from their starting points across the areas of learning, particularly in communication and language.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children show growing confidence in expressing their needs and ideas. They increasingly use words and short phrases to communicate. For example, children who previously relied mainly on gestures now use spoken phrases during activities, showing clear progress in their communication skills. Children listen with interest to stories, join in with familiar words and phrases and respond to questions. They take part in counting and naming activities, developing their early language, literacy and mathematical understanding.

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Achievement Expected standard

Children build their independence and social skills through daily routines and play. They learn to share, take turns and play alongside one another with increasing confidence. Children who receive additional funding make steady progress and participate fully in activities. As a result, all children gain the knowledge, skills and confidence they need for their next stage of learning.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder has created an environment where expectations for behaviour are suitable for children's ages and stages of development, and these are generally applied. Clear routines help children understand what is expected of them. For example, children independently wash their hands before lunch, sit at the table and wait calmly while food is served. These routines help children feel safe and begin to develop self-control and independence.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

Children enjoy positive and respectful relationships with the childminder. She explains things clearly, uses appropriate language and models positive behaviour. When minor disagreements happen, she intervenes calmly and supports children to find solutions. For instance, when children argue over water in the garden, she reminds them to take turns and helps them to share the remaining water. Children are happy with the outcome and return to play. They are encouraged to play alongside and with each other. During activities, such as building with blocks, children share resources and work together with guidance, developing early teamwork and cooperation skills.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

A small number of minor behaviour incidents were observed during the inspection, mostly caused by frustration. These were handled appropriately at the time, but they show that there is an opportunity for the childminder to reflect on how she teaches children about behaviour and emotional regulation. The childminder should strengthen the planned teaching of strategies to manage feelings. This will help children gain greater independence in handling their own behaviour.

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Behaviour, attitudes and establishing routines Expected standard

The childminder promotes the importance of regular attendance and punctuality. Families are kept informed of expectations, and any unexplained absences are followed up quickly, supporting continuity of care and learning.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children are cared for in a warm, nurturing environment where their individual needs are well understood. The childminder gathers information from parents before children start and reviews it regularly. This ensures that routines for sleep, meals and medical needs reflect children's experiences at home. As a result, children feel comfortable and secure. Younger children are supported sensitively with sleeping and feeding, and those developing independence are encouraged to feed themselves and manage their own personal care. The childminder works closely with parents and other professionals for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, or those who face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being, providing consistent and appropriate care.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Children form strong, trusting relationships with the childminder. They seek her out for comfort, reassurance and to share their achievements. Children settle quickly and show that they feel safe and confident in the setting. The childminder responds warmly to children's emotions, helping children to feel understood and valued.

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Children's welfare and wellbeing Expected standard

Healthy lifestyles are promoted well. Children enjoy nutritious home-cooked meals and regular outdoor play, including visits to local parks, the zoo and woodland areas. Daily routines, such as handwashing before meals, help children to develop good hygiene habits. Quiet, cosy spaces are available for children who need time to relax. As a result, children feel safe, cared for and emotionally secure.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The childminder provides a curriculum that helps children feel safe, confident and ready to learn. All areas of learning are covered, with regular community visits to parks, woods, the zoo and a local care home, broadening children's understanding of the world and extending learning beyond the setting. Children's language and communication are supported purposefully. While reading 'Superworm', the childminder uses clear expression, repetition and thoughtful questions to engage children, model full sentences, introduce new vocabulary and encourage conversation. Early mathematical skills are developed naturally through counting in stories, comparing quantities, using balance scales outdoors and making simple choices.

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Curriculum and teaching Expected standard

The curriculum also promotes physical development and personal, social and emotional growth. Children practise fine motor skills with tools and develop larger movements through outdoor play. The childminder observes children's progress and plans next steps accordingly. Teaching is adapted to support children with special educational needs and/or disabilities, as well as those facing other barriers, using practical adjustments and targeted support. Minor behaviour incidents are managed appropriately, but their frequency suggests a need to strengthen teaching on behavioural expectations and strategies for managing emotions. Refining this aspect would further enhance children's personal, social and emotional development. Overall, the curriculum provides a secure foundation, supporting all children to make progress from their starting points and enjoy learning in a nurturing, supportive environment.

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Inclusion Expected standard

Inclusion is at the heart of the setting. The childminder gets to know each child and their family well when they join, gathering detailed information about their starting points, medical needs and any early concerns. She keeps in regular contact with parents and works closely with external professionals, such as speech and language therapists, to make sure children get the right support from the start.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder makes thoughtful adjustments so all children can take part in activities and access the full curriculum. For example, she provides larger tools to support grip strength, visual choices at snack time, and models rich language to help children with physical or communication needs participate confidently alongside their peers. Additional funding is used carefully to remove barriers to learning and to offer exciting experiences, giving all children opportunities to explore and develop their knowledge and skills.

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Inclusion Expected standard

The childminder keeps track of children's progress and plans next steps to support their learning. However, monitoring of small-step progress for children with special educational needs and/or disabilities is not yet fully consistent to sharply evaluate the impact of interventions over time. Families are closely involved, and the childminder works with them to ensure every child receives the support they need. Inclusive practice is effective, helping all children, including those who face barriers to learning, to feel part of the group, take part in activities confidently and make meaningful progress.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder provides child-centred leadership and is committed to giving children a positive start in life. She knows the setting's strengths well, especially the warm and caring relationships she builds with children and families, and is aware of areas she wants to develop further.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder regularly checks how children are progressing and uses this information to plan what they need to learn next. Assessment systems are in place to track children's development. However, the childminder should strengthen monitoring arrangements to ensure that the progress of children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or well-being is systematically reviewed and acted on to further support development.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

Parents are fully involved in their child's learning. Weekly updates, photos and simple ideas for home activities help families support their child's development. For example, parents are encouraged to practise colour recognition and counting during everyday activities at home, which reinforces what children are learning at the setting.

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Leadership and governance Expected standard

The childminder also works closely with a local network of childminders to share ideas and provide children with opportunities to meet and play with others. She is committed to improving her practice and welcomes feedback. All decisions the childminder makes are in the best interests of children, ensuring a caring, stable and supportive environment where children feel safe, happy and able to develop successfully.

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Compulsory Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the compulsory part of the Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Compulsory Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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Voluntary Childcare Register requirements

This setting has met the requirements of the voluntary part of Childcare Register.

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Register

When we check if settings meet the Voluntary Childcare Register requirements, they can have the following outcomes:

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children are happy, settled and secure in this nurturing home-from-home environment. They form warm, trusting attachments with the childminder and demonstrate that they feel safe and valued. For example, children bring a favourite book to the childminder in the garden, snuggling beside her as she reads expressively. Other children independently choose to join, listening attentively, counting pictures and responding to well-pitched questions. This demonstrates children's enjoyment of learning and their confidence in seeking shared experiences.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children achieve well from their starting points and make steady progress across the areas of learning, particularly in communication and language. They show increasing confidence in expressing their needs and ideas because the childminder consistently models clear sentences and extends vocabulary during play. For example, while in the garden, children request support by repeating the modelled phrase 'help please' and then sustain engagement as the childminder provides a rich commentary as they draw. Children with special educational needs and/or disabilities and those who face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing are supported through adapted resources and targeted next steps, enabling them to participate fully alongside their friends.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

The importance of regular attendance is promoted effectively through clear expectations, close communication with families and prompt follow-up of unexplained absences, ensuring children benefit from consistent routines and continuity of learning. As a result, barriers to learning are reduced and children develop age-appropriate knowledge, skills and confidence.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children feel that they belong. They learn cooperatively and are included in all aspects of the provision. During a collaborative construction activity, all children contributed to building a shared model, negotiating space and resources with support from the childminder. Families are warmly welcomed. Daily communication, shared photos and practical home- learning ideas ensure that parents feel valued as partners in their children's development.

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What it's like to be a child at this setting

Children develop well because they are safe and routines are secure. They independently wash their hands before meals, remove coats and shoes and choose between healthy options at snack time. Regular outings to parks, woods and community settings extend their experiences and prepare them well for their next stages of learning. As a result, children are developing confidence, resilience and age-appropriate knowledge and skills, growing in an environment where their individuality is recognised and supported.

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Next steps

The childminder should rigorously monitor the progress of children receiving statutory support and those who may also face other barriers to their learning and/or wellbeing so that targeted support is highly effective, helping every child achieve their full potential. The childminder should strengthen and embed the personal, social and emotional development curriculum to explicitly support children's consistent behaviour and emotional regulation, ensuring that all children feel safe, secure, stimulated and happy.

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Address:

20 East Mimms Hemel Hempstead Hertfordshire HP2 5XR

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Address:

Operating hours: Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday,Thursday,Friday : 07:00 - 18:00

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Facts and figures used on inspection

This data was available to the inspector at the time of the inspection.

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About this inspection

The inspector spoke with the childminder and children during the inspection.

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About this inspection

We carried out this inspection under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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Exceptional

Practice is exceptional: of the highest standard nationally. Other settings can learn from it.

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Strong standard

The setting reaches a strong standard. Leaders are working above the standard expected of them.

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Expected standard

The setting is fulfilling the expected standard of education and/or care. This means they are following the standard set out in statutory and non ‑ statutory legislation and the professional standards expected of them.

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Needs attention

The expected standards are not met but leaders are likely able to make the necessary improvements.

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Urgent improvement

The setting needs to make urgent improvements to provide the expected standard of education and/or care.

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Urgent improvement

services providing education and skills for children and learners of all ages, and inspects and regulates services that care for children and young people.

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

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Urgent improvement

T: 0300 123 1231 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.gov.uk/ofsted

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